Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1887-08-26
CHAINED FOR ELEVEN YEARS.
An Insane Mans sad Condition-Ths
Case Reported TO the Authorities.


town, where for years the population
has been decreasing, until the main
street IN the village is a line of desert.
ed houses, lives an insane man who
has not only been confined to his
room for eleven years, but has been
chained to the floor like wild beast.
Although it is understood that the un
fortunate man has been fed and well
cared for by relatives. the matter has
just been brought to the attention Of
the state authorit es. who will I'M
doubtedly see that the inhuman method
Of incarceration is no longer continued
in violation of law. The family of
the prisoner has been peculiarly UNI
fortunate. Samuel Emmons, the father
lives in the village of New Boston. and
is supposed 10 be in comfortable cir
cumstances, having farm of three
hundred acres. including large maple
sugar orchard. The family, like all
others of the same name, are respecta-
bic. industrious people. descended from
Woodruff Emmons, who, with his two
brothers, came from England some
years previous TO l740 and settled first
in Woodbury., Conn, and afterward in
Cornwall, from whence their descend
! ants emigrated TO various portions of
the country. The family of Samuel
Emmons have lived in Sand sfield for
over a quarter of a century, but for
half that time have been greatly af-
tlicted. Emmons has two daughters
and one son, but this son. Elizur s.. is
raying maniac, as is one Of the
daughters. FL Eur, now over 80, was
in his youth bright, active boy. He
attended school. was fond OF books,
learned fast and gave promise of be-
coming useful man. But this antici-
patton was soon blasted, for the youth
attended a raising and was hit on the
head by a falling timber. This blow
troubled him somewhat. but after
while little was thought of it
About twelve years ago the town was
visited by that noted but noisy revival
list, Uncle John Vassar, who continued
his meetings in Sandisfeld for some
weeks amid great excitement and
shouts of the converts. Young En-
mons attended the meetings, and, after
becoming convert, took an active
part in them, and sometimes engaged
in private conversation with the preach
er who advised him to enter the minis.
try. Ellzur thought he had call from
heaven to become preacher, but this
inspiration was discouraged by his
father, and the youth soon sank into
morbid detection and melancholy, ard
ultimately into complete insanity. He
believed himself n reprobate, but often
had turus when he would pray and re-
peat verses in loud voice, with all the
gestures of the revival preacher. accom-
panied with oontortions of body and
outcries Elizur was taken 10 a neigh
boring physician, but he confined to
grow worse, and in 1879 the father
sent the crazy son to the Northampton
asylum, where he remained few
months and then was taken home. where
he has since been confined in room,
the windows being boarded up to pre-
vent escape On one occasion, how
ever, Elizur managed to get out of the
room. and, though the weather was
cold, he fled half-clothed and bare
headed to the woods, uttering hideous
cries at every jump. He was found.
and after desperate struggle the in
sane man was captured and returned
to his room During this flight he
threw stone which hit his father on
the head, and the afflicted old man
came near bleeding to death Eleven
years have passed since that day, and.
for fear of another escape. Elizur has
been shackled and chained to staple
in the wall or bedstead and can only
move few feet in a circle. SO far ms
can be learned he is well cared for by
his parents, who give him an abun-
dance of wholesome food. A visitor
to the family, who saw the patient,
states that he is we'll bGilt, good
looking young man, fond OF looking at
picture books, and often acts like
young child. AT night he is sometimes
quiet but often very restless. and the
family are kept awake by his cries. 1t
is no pleasure to visit him. as he is of
ten in an ugly mood. and the clanking
chains, with the fearful look and glar-
ing eyes of the demented unfor tunate,
make the visitor shudder and hastily |
retire from the room. AS IL to add to
the affections Of Mr.. and Mrs. Emmons,
their daughter Eliza is also insane. but
her insanity 10 Of milder form, and
she keeps her bed. being cared for by a
younger sister. Eliza. who is married
to a young Mr.. Clark. gave birth to q
child, but In some way took cold. pro-
ducing complaints which have resulted
in insanity